Page:The West Indies, and Other Poems.djvu/37

 25

—The valiant seized, in peril-daring fight ; The weak, surprised in nakedness and night ; Subjects by mercenary despots sold ; Victims of justice prostitute for gold; Brothers by brothers, friends by friends betray'd ; Snared in her lover's arms the trusting maid ; The faithful wife by her false lord estranged. For one wild cup of drunken bliss exchanged; From the brute-mother's knee, the infant-boy, Kidnapp'd in slumbei', bartered for a toy ; The father resting at his father's tree, Doom'd by the son to die beyond the sea : — All bonds of kindred, law, alliance broke,

All ranks, all nations crouching to the yoke ;

From fields of light, unshadowed climes that lie

Panting beneath the sun's meridian eye,

From hidden Ethiopia's utmost land ;

From Zaara's fickle wilderness of sand ;

From Congo's blazing plains and blooming woods ;

From Whidah's hills, that gush with golden floods;

B

�� �